Waitress gets half-million dollar refund

By 윤민식

Published : June 4, 2012 - 10:56

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A Cleveland waitress says she was surprised when she received a tax refund for nearly half of $1 million.

Virginia Hopkins, who has been working at Johnny's Downtown Restaurant in Cleveland for 19 years, was expecting a refund of $754, but the check she received on Tuesday from the Internal Revenue Service was for $434,712, ABC News reported.

"I think I would have to work most of my life to earn that much money," she says. "Even with undeclared tips."

Hopkins said she decided to return the check to the Cleveland's IRS office the next day.

"Would you believe I had to give them a photo ID to prove it was me before I could give it back?" she says. "Otherwise they wouldn't even talk to me."

After she proved her identity, the IRS people were very polite, Hopkins said. They took the check and promised to thoroughly investigate the error.

Now, Hopkins said shes "readjusting" to life.

"It's not easy being poor after you've been rich," she joked. (UPI)

<관련 한글 기사>

세금로또? 5억원어치 환급받아

미국 클리블랜드에서 웨이터로 일하는 버지니아 홉킨스 씨는 지난달 세금환급을 받아보고 소스라치게 놀랐다. 무려 43만 4천712달러 (한화 약 5억1천만원)에 달하는 거액을 수표로 지급받았기 때문.

홉킨스 씨는 “제가 그런 돈을 벌려면 평생 일해야 할 것”이라면서 환급 신청을 할 때는 754달러 정도만 받을 것으로 예상했다고 한다.

그녀는 결국 수표를 국세청에 반납하기로 결정했다.

홉킨스 씨는 “그렇게 부자가 되었다가 다시 가난해지는 건 쉽지 않다”라고 농담을 했다.

Waitress gets half-million dollar refund

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